Interesting! I haven't used anti-perspirants in years. I did well this summer with Kiss My Face Liquid Rock (patchouli scent), but in the past I carried a tiny bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer and used a little of that (discreetly!) when necessary. Killing bacteria kills the odor.

I used to use the Liquid Rock last year and it was definitely the best of the store-bought natural deodorants that I tried. The only problem was that I'd be uncomfortable when I would sweat. What I like about this is that I think the baking soda acts as a bit of an absorber so you aren't as damp but it still allows you to sweat freely which I think is SO important. Granted, it's been cool out so that may change but I like it for now! And it's definitely the cheapest option I've found.

I always have an issue with sweat. Remember, I work outside for a living. But I don't smell. Well, not all the time anyway! I have not tried Liquid Rock. I did try one of the others and it did not work at all! Hmm, I think I may have to try this.

Trish

chi, we're a lot alike. Close in age and have some similar life circumstances too.

For a long time I was using the Natural Crystal deodorant with a dab of an essential oil I like. That worked pretty well for me. Much better than Tom's of Maine or other kinds I tried.

Then, after using that combo for quite sometime, I ended up with a rash in one of my armpits. At first I didn't think much of it except it was a little itchy, I just figured irritation. Then it started spreading. I went to the doc and she didn't know if it was bacterial or fungal so I used creams for both and it went away. I've been paranoid to go back to the crystal one ever since, even though it may have not even been the cause (the other armpit was just fine).

Anyway, I may have to try your combo and see how it works for me.

I use technology, Botox under the arms no sweat no smell, hurts like heck but lasts for a year. Remember, we just went throuugh our worst summer ever.

In my case, I stay away from any deordant containing an anti-prespirant. This cuts out most products on the store shelf. In my case, anti-prespirants clogs my under-arm pores and causes 'dangles' to form. I do not get dangles if I avoid anti-prespirants.

Since men and womens skin chenistry differs, supposedly, male and female deodorants have different formulations. At one time, I suspected that the only difference was the scent; I simply don't know. Price difference between male and female formulations is probably largely marketing.

One product that works for me is the deodorant-only version of Brut. Ladies may find it works for them, too. It won't hurt to try. It's not expensive. On rare occasion due to circumstances, I've snitched a swipe from my wife's Secret and that worked for me.

There's also another more natural deodorant. Water. Apply liberally and often. Soap assists with this too, and anti-bacterial all the better if you can avoid the controversy on that.

Deodorants without anti-perspirants are a waste IMO. You sweat, you smell (to varying degrees). Wiping a different smell on doesn't eliminate the other smell, it might overpower it, or simply combine so you have fruity BO. You might not smell it, but others often can. People seldom smell themselves which explains why so many old women marinate in that jug perfume (cough, cough, choke, gag)

Some of the frugal books, IIRC Tightwad Gazette suggested diluted bleach to kill bacteria. Another suggested vinegar. Peroxide is used by some too. Problem with some of these is the potential to stain or bleach clothes.

I now use Old Spice. The Mitchum aerosol was the best I had used before but they discontinued it and the stick isn't anywhere near as good as the aerosol. Unscented Arm & Hammer spray wasn't bad, but again, the worrywarts are paranoid about aerosols and trying to kill off the good products.

I tried baking soda for deodorant one day last summer to avoid walking upstairs to the bathroom. It worked so well I continued. It lasted a long time, and was finally an unscented deodorant--which I always buy but are never completely unscented.

I put the baking soda in a plastic spice jar with the holes in the top. But by September I, too, got a rash. I didn't pay too much attention until the last time I used it. Fresh from the shower, I pat on the baking soda and it burned like the dickens. That did it for me. No more.

Thank you for the lesson on soap and water, cynic. I assure you I do bathe regularly with both and still like to use deodorant.

The purpose of my post was to give an alternative to the many people who think that anti-perspirants are unhealthy. I get that most people aren't interested but there are some who are. Clogging up one of the body's major detoxification points in order to smell powder fresh all day is certainly a popular choice but there are alternatives out there.

This combination is working beautifully for me. I have absolutely no smell at all since I put it on this morning, with no rash or irritation. And while I agree that sometimes people can't smell themselves, I definitely can because that's how I knew that other ones I previously tried over the last few weeks didn't work, lol. Between that, and brutally honest friends, I am assured that what I've found works for me.

In the end, it's up to everyone to make their own decisions. I try not to use anything on my body that I couldn't eat if I wanted to because that's what I feel is the healthiest way to live. And yes, I am a worrywort. Have you seen the recent cancer statistics? Something like 1 in 3 will be diagnosed in their lifetime, and it's rising all the time. I'm doing everything I can to avoid it. The body has an amazing ability to detoxify and heal if only we let it and not clog it up with chemicals and preservatives and parabens and toxins and all the other crap in conventional beauty products.

UMM. I hope those that are using natural Crystal deodorants do understand that they do in fact contain aluminum. That's what they are processed from.

The crystal deodorant stones are made from alum. While there are different types of alums, the most widely used form of alum used in the personal care industry is potassium alum. The full chemical name of potassium alum is potassium aluminum sulfate.

So while this form of aluminum hasn't been linked to breast a cancer it is a form that would still be linked to Alzheimer's (although there is no scientific confirmation that there is a linkto either cancer or alzheimers).

The sweat glands remove few toxins so there is no danger of clogging them. LOL

The lymphatic system removes toxins from the body. You do have lymph nodes in the armpit area but they are not at all connected to the sweat glands. The lymphatic system of the body directs most toxins to the kidney and the liver to be broken down and disposed of.

I have heard from many people that M.O.M. is great but I haven't yet tried it but I'm going to get some soon! There was just a long thread at another forum about this and I didn't see one person say they had tried it and it had not worked! I have tried the crystal and it gave me a horrible rash. I have tried mixed half and half baking soda and corn starch, it doesn't work for me...no allergic reaction but doesn't work. And yes, I scrub my underarms with soap and water...HA!

People seldom smell themselves which explains why so many old women marinate in that jug perfume (cough, cough, choke, gag)

Cynic, in my experience, old men are more likely to smell worse.

arkansas_girl, let me know how it works for you. :) I find adding the thin layer of baking soda over the MoM works a little better than the MoM alone, at least for my personal chemistry.

I think it's great that so many people are open to alternatives! We could argue all day about what the body does and doesn't do in reaction to all the stuff we put on and in it, but I believe in letting it do what it's designed to do for optimal health, and that includes sweating. Just my personal opinion. It really doesn't bother me what others choose to put on their skin!

I use any deodorant, right now I'm using Tom's of Maine, it works great. The best way to apply deodorant is take a shower just before bedtime, apply deodorant, and let it "sink in" overnight. I cannot use antiperspirants, they're too harsh and cause me great underarm itchiness and swollen lymph glands. I've checked it out withy my gynecologist-not cancerpous lumps from cancer, just "edema".

Very interesting thread. For several years I have been having trouble with deodorant causing sensitive skin and rash. I was using Dove that was for sensitive skin but even that would make me itch. I couldn't sleep at night so I would get up and put on aloe gel and that would calm it down.

For the last couple of weeks I have just been using the aloe gel alone and I don't have any rash or even any smelly pits for the day. I am going to continue to use this for a while longer.

Because of the dialysis fistula (entry point for the dialysis needles)on my upper left arm I was building up fluid and lumps in my left armpit (edema). I switched from using antiperspirants to using deodorants only. I buy "Toms of Maine" which is very gentle. I've always had smelly sweat, the kind you get during stress. It works just fine. My sister, not on dialysis, has some issues and she uses Toms also.

Funny you should type this post. Just the other day, I said the same thing about the proximity of deodorants, and breast cancer. In fact, every time I use it, the thought crosses my mind. I haven't tried any natural ones, but I will try your recommendation. I usually use Tom's, and like it. We live in the south, and it gets brutally hot here for many months. Lots of sweating going on!
I have a similar mind set as you, about working with nature, not against it.

I've tried Tom's and it didn't work at all for me. I suppose that's the challenge of different body chemistry!

I still use the MoM but I don't use the baking soda every day or I get irritation. I also rotate in one of the crystal sticks which works well. I experiment with coconut oil too. So far everything is working but the real test will be summer!